Protector for fruit boxes



March 13, 1945. R. J. CLARK PROTECTOR FORAFRUIT BOXES Filed Oct. 18, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l awe/whom REG/N141 D J. CLARK I March 13,1945. R. J. CLARK PROTECTOR FOR FRUIT BOXES Filed Oct, 18, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR I fies/mm J. czARK A TTOR/YEY Patented Mar. 13 1945 sis-11,425

n UNITED PATENT ,orrice;

mornorbnron FRU T Boxes Reginald]. Clark, Boise; Idaho Application October 18, 19.41,ISerial%No; 415,658

1 Claini (01; 217- 3) This invention relates toa protector" for fruit boxes and 'cth'er boxes, and has for'one of -its" ob jects the productioriofa simple and efiicient proftector whichmay be cut from a single she'et of material and then folded to fit within the top of abox in a manner to protect the contents-"such as f'ruit, from injury and also to-hold the fruit in: a proper position for display when the-box is" open.-

line 313*of-Figure'1-; I

Fi re-:4 is:a' perspectiveview ofonecornerofr' the-protector-in a folded positi Figure 5 i's a plan view of the blankfrondwhich' the protector: may be formed;

Figure -6 'is a-plan view of the corner-of fiedrform'of blank; s

Figure 7 is; a; perspective=view ofna corner of the modified form of protectorfolded'andinpo'- sition;

Figure 8 isa top plan-view= of a-further'-modi'-* fied form-of protector'in position I Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional viewtak 0nline9, 9of FigureB; a i V Figure 10 is a plan view of the blank from which the form shown in Figure 9 is formed;

Figure 11 is-a perspective view of one corner of the blank shown in Figure 10; and

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the corner of a box showing one comer of the protector in position.

By referring to the drawings, it will beseen that Ill designates a box or container in which is mounted the protector i l in the nature of a guard and the like, preferably formed of cardboard or other heavy paper which may,, be easily folded and at the same time provide a proper protecting medium for the fruit, vegetables, or other produce placed within the'box III. This protector II is preferably formed from a blank sheet of material comprising end flaps l2 and adjoining end collar portions 13, the inner edges H of which arei convex as shown; Apa'ir 'of side flap's'li is provided having inwardly "extending convex edges: 16. The: end flaps I2 are adapted-i to be folded' along the line to extendat r'ight'angles .5 to'the collar portions |3 and the side-flaps 15' are adapted't'o be bentalong the lines l'B near their iunction with'thelend' collarfportions'sl 3; as shown" clearly inrFigure 5. adapted to extend upwardlyandthe flaps; I 5 are adapted: to be bent at right angles' to the'iend:

collar'portions: [3' in the manner asshownin Figlure 14; thereby providing a box-like protector or" guardathe flapsill and1l5 being adapted to fit' snugly: against thesin'ner faces of thebox-and the endcolla'r-portiqns l3? being adaptedtto overlie the.fruit;. thereby protecting; the fruit or-other contents of the box Ill;

Theconvex' edges llirofrthe'fla'ps l5 are made of. a contour toqfit the average bulge: or crown of: fruit or other produce placed within) the box. These flaps I5-are adapted to extend in a vertical position andto protect the-sides oft he fruit-orside f1aps'l5 and the end flaps m which ears contents of the box after the fruit is packed. The

conventional lidl9'will flex to fit the crown orbulge of the fruit or contents-of the boxand will normally follow the contoursotthe convex edges l6. Thecontoursof the edges 16 are'made to fit theaverage bulge or crown and may in some in stances be too low in which .case the flaps would not quite reach'the top of the fruit." If the flaps are too high'th'ey willprdject'slightlyf above the lid'ofth'ebox as the lid fits easily} between the twofside flaps when the side flaps are erect as will beob'vious by considering'Fi gure 3;

Inactualpractice the't'op layerbf fruitina box can be; and often is, protected fromdir'e'ctlid pressure by a'suitable pad" l9 of suitable materialcutto fit the top of the box; The sides l5 of theprotector which extend vertically protect the fruit and the fruit may slide. downfrom the-top edge of the box without injury, and these sides [5 will protect the exposed portions of the fruit from outside sources where the crown of the fruit extends above the upper edge of the box. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the blank I IE. may be provided with supporting ears or tongues 20 at the corners of the blank adjacent the ends of the or tongues 20 may rest upon the endcleats 2| of the box 10*, as shown in Figure 7, to support the protector or guard in proper position and prevent the protector from slipping down into the box. In. the type shown in Figure '7, theprotector may be supported flush with the upper edge of the box and the tongues 01' ears 20 will providemeans to The convex edges l6 are in Figure 2 before the lid [9 is placed in position. An important feature of the present invention is the fact that the end collar portions [3 of the blank are hinged or folded, as at l8, to the side ends 28 of the box 29, in the manner shown in Figures 8, 9 and 12. These tongues or cars 21 are adapted to hold the protector in place upon the box and to prevent the protector from dropping down into the box. The side flaps 24 are adapted to extend vertically when placed in the box so that the upper edge 30 of theside flaps 24 may extend upwardly. The cover or lid is adapted to be secured to the ends 28 of the box and is adapted to flex to follow the contour of the upper convex edge 30, but because of the fact that the protector is formed of cardboard and the like, these side flaps 24 and-their upper edges 30 may be folded inwardly under the pressure flaps l5 as shown and described, and this may be accomplished by scoring, creasing, or providing any type of fold common to the trade.

The sides I5 preferably stand straight up and.

project suhiciently above the top edge of the box to protect the bulge and permit the two end collar portions l3 to lie out over the fruit in a substantially horizontal manner such as is shown in Figure 2, since these end collar portions l3 extend substantially horizontally over the fruit, these portions providing positive protection against the fruit cutting against the top edge or end ofthe box and protecting the fruit from becoming bruised by the lid when pressure is applied in the nailing process. The fruit, before the lid is applied is actually an inch or so higher than the top edge of the box all around so that when pressure is applied to the lid at the ends the fruit is forced down tighter in the box until the ends of the lid and the ends of the box meet, at which time the lid is nailed to the box. Since the pressure is applied entirely at the ends of the lid, the fruit in the center of the box slides down only a short distance and thus the bulge is formed. The horizontal or end collar portions l3 which extend over the fruit at the ends of the box may contain printed matter or various designs, if desired, so that when the box is opened an advertising medium may be provided as well as a protector. Suitable subject matter maybe printed upon each end collar portion l3 Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

As shown in Figures 8 to '11, inclusive, there is illustrated a modified type of the invention wherein a protector 22 is illustrated and is formed of the'lid, at the same time protecting the fruit or other contents of the box along the sides of the box.

. It will be noted from Figure 12 that the end flaps 23 are adapted to fit snugly against the inner faces of the ends of the box and the collar portions 26 are adapted to extend in a substantiallly horizontal position overhanging the contents of the box at the ends of the box. The side flaps 24 are adapted to fit snugly against the inner faces of the sides of the box and extend Vertically thereof. In this way the fruit. or contents of the box will be protected around all four side edges of the box, that is to say at the ends and also along each side for the full heighth of the bulge of the fruit toward the center of the box.

It should be understood that certain detail changes may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, so long as such changes fall within the. scope of the appende claim.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new is:

A fruit guard comprising a flexible sheet having a central opening, fruit-protecting collar portions carried by the guard at opposite ends of said central opening, side and end flaps'bent at substantially right angles to the collar portions said flaps being adapted to fit snugly against the inner faces of the side and end walls of a container with which the-guard. is used, and projecting supporting tongues carried by the side flaps and in the plane thereof intermediate the side and end flaps, each tongue having an upper edge extending in a substantially horizontal plane, the collars being substantially flush with the upper edges of the tongues, the tongues having lower edges parallel to the upper edges of the tongues and being adapted to rest upon portions of a container-with which the guard is used for supporting the guard in position and preventing the guard from dropping down into the container.

REGINALD J. CLARK. 

